Data organization is important in relational database systems that deal with complex queries against large volumes of data. Relational database systems allow data to be stored in tables that are organized as both a set of columns and a set of rows. Standard commands are used to define the columns and rows of tables and data is subsequently entered in accordance with the defined structure. The defined table structure is logically maintained, but may not correspond to the physical organization of the data. For example, the data corresponding to a particular table may be split up among a number of physical hardware storage facilities.
Many users of relational database systems desire fast execution of complex queries against large amounts of data. Different physical types of storage, for example random access memory and hard drives, can incur different length delays. In addition, writing to memory or a hard drive is often slower than reading an equivalent amount of data from memory or a hard drive. The organization of data corresponding to tables defined in a relational database system may determine the number of writes and reads that are performed in order to execute a common query. If the data is properly organized, in responding to queries performance can be improved by taking advantage of that organization and searching only part of the data. If the data is not organized in any way, it will often need to be searched in its entirety to satisfy a query or copied and restructured into a useful organization.
Given a particular change in the organization of data, particular types of searches or other operations performed on the data may be adversely impacted in terms of efficiency if they are performed without any adjustment. Many factors must be addressed to adjust a search that is to be performed with respect to a new organization of data. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the manner in which the data is stored, the file system that identifies the location of the data and various other information about the data, and the desired outcome of the search. Failure to consider and address any one of those factors can result in an inefficient search.